Evolution of Earth

Located in the Earth Sciences Building atrium, the Evolution of Earth display showcases a geologic timeline that illustrates the evolution of our dynamic planet Earth. The data shown on the timeline tell a fascinating story about a changing planet and highlights the relationships between the episodic growth of Earth’s continental crust (zircon abundance, orogenic gold deposits), the formation and breakup of supercontinents, and the profound changes to the hydrosphere (snowball events), biosphere (biomass, taxonomic longevity), and atmosphere (oxygen levels). The globes suspended above the timeline show snapshots of Earth as it evolved through time. Come by and see what Earth looked like 4.5 billion years ago!